新航道副总裁刘威接受《中国日报》采访｜国际教育稳步复苏、前景可期

    日前新航道国际教育集团副总裁刘威接受《中国日报》采访，分享疫情后国际教育稳步复苏的前景。

    以下为报道正文。（记者：《中国日报》邹硕）

    [Photo by Wang Ying/Xinhua]

    Last year, Liu Zitong shelved her plan to study abroad due to COVID-19 and other safety concerns, and instead prepared for the national postgraduate entrance exam to enroll in a Chinese university.

    去年，由于COVID-19和其他安全问题，刘同学暂时搁置了出国留学的计划，转而准备参加全国研究生入学考试，进入中国的大学学习。

    However, after the 22-year-old senior undergraduate student performed poorly in the exam, she decided to sign up for tutoring courses at Beijing-based overseas education consultancy EIC Education.

    然而，这位22岁的本科大四学生在考试中表现不佳，她决定报名参加某所海外教育咨询机构的辅导课程。

    "I have always longed to study abroad to experience a different lifestyle and broaden my horizons. English was my preferred subject in school, so it is easy for me to pass the language threshold for overseas study," she said.

    "我一直渴望出国留学，体验不一样的生活方式，拓宽视野。英语是我在学校的首选科目，所以我很容易通过海外学习的语言门槛，"她说。

    Liu is looking at options in Singapore and Hong Kong because her parents are worried about her safety in other countries and regions where Chinese students have been discriminated against.

    刘同学正在新加坡和中国香港之间寻找适合自己的选择，因为她的父母担心她学校所在国家和地区的安全问题，比如那里可能会出现中国学生受到歧视的事情。

    Like Liu, many Chinese students, who found it unsafe to go to study abroad in the past three years, are reconsidering their decision.

    与刘同学一样，许多中国学生在过去三年中发现出国留学不安全，现在正在重新考虑他们的决定。

    The number of Chinese students studying abroad this year is likely to reach or even exceed the level before COVID-19 hit in 2019, with a strong recovery already seen in the sector after travel restrictions were lifted, according to several overseas education consultancies.

    几家海外教育咨询机构表示，今年中国学生出国留学的人数可能达到甚至超过2019年新冠肺炎疫情爆发前的水平，在旅行限制解除后，中国留学行业已出现强劲复苏。

    新航道国际教育集团副总裁刘威说：

    Liu Wei, vice-president of New Channel International Education Group, said the number of online, in-person and phone call inquiries for overseas study increased by 45 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2023.

    2023年第一季度，在线、面对面和电话咨询海外留学的数量同比增长了45%。

    "The overseas study market is highly likely to return to its pre-pandemic levels this year and the number of students pursuing their studies abroad will increase steadily in the future," he said.

    "今年的海外留学市场极有可能恢复到疫情爆发前的水平，未来出国留学的学生人数将稳步增长。"

    This is mainly due to the fact that the demand for international education has not decreased. The tough competition in getting into good schools and finding decent jobs in China has also prompted students to look for high-quality education opportunities abroad, he said.

    这主要是由于对国际教育的需求并没有减少。在中国进入好学校和找到体面工作的激烈竞争，也促使学生到国外寻找高质量的教育机会。

    The pandemic had dealt a major blow to enrollment in foreign universities, so now it is a good time for Chinese students to study abroad, he added.

    疫情对外国大学的招生造成了不小的打击，所以现在是中国学生出国留学的好时机。

    Wang Ting, deputy general manager of EIC Education Beijing Branch, said their number of applications for overseas study grew by 46 percent in the first quarter of 2023 compared with the same period last year.

    某所海外教育咨询机构北京分公司副总经理表示，与去年同期相比，2023年第一季度他们的留学申请数量增长了46%。

    Applications for Australia and New Zealand grew by 129 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, for the United Kingdom 44 percent and for Canada 95 percent, she said.

    第一季度，澳大利亚和新西兰的申请数量同比增长129%，英国44%，加拿大95%。

    While the United States is still the most popular overseas destination among Chinese students, given the quality of its higher education, the growth rate is decreasing due to incidents of discrimination, visa restrictions and safety concerns, Wang said.

    虽然美国仍然是最受中国学生欢迎的海外留学目的地，但考虑到其高等教育的质量，由于歧视事件、签证限制和安全问题，增长率正在降低。

    With more countries implementing favorable policies to attract international candidates, Chinese students have diversified their interests in overseas study destinations.

    随着越来越多的国家实施优惠政策来吸引国际学生，中国学生对海外留学目的地的兴趣也变得多样化。

    With more countries implementing favorable policies to attract international candidates, Chinese students have diversified their interests in overseas study destinations.

    北京外国语大学三年级本科生张超玮（新航道北京学校学员）在得知中国优化了疫情控制措施，这让他出国留学变得更加容易时，激动不已。

    As an avid fan of Manchester United soccer club, he said he wants to go to the UK for his postgraduate studies, but admits that Hong Kong and Singapore are also good options. "The pressure of getting into a good university in China is too high, so studying overseas is a always a good option," he said.

    作为曼联足球俱乐部的狂热粉丝，他表示自己想去英国读研，但也坦言中国香港和新加坡也是不错的选择。他说：“在中国进入一所好大学的压力太大了，所以出国留学总是一个不错的选择。

    Living in a foreign country is different than traveling for a short period, as one gets to have a better experience of the country's culture, Zhang added.

    在外国生活与短期旅行不同，因为可以更好地体验这个国家的文化，张同学补充说。

    Bai Yuqian, 20, wants to study finance at a US university. Her ideal schools are Columbia University, the University of Chicago and the University of Pennsylvania.

    20岁的白雨仟（新航道北京学校学员）想在美国的一所大学学习金融专业。她的理想学校是哥伦比亚大学、芝加哥大学和宾夕法尼亚大学。

    "I just want to go see the world. By studying in the US, I can get more internship opportunities at financial companies and also practice my English," she said.

    "我只是想去看看这个世界。通过在美国学习，得到更多的金融公司实习机会，也可以锻炼我的英语。"

    As her parents are worried about her safety in the US, she is not ruling out schools in the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong.

    由于她的父母担心她在美国的安全，她并不排除去英国、新加坡和中国香港的学校。

    As her parents are worried about her safety in the US, she is not ruling out schools in the UK, Singapore and Hong Kong.

    "即使我出去留学，毕业后我也会回到中国工作，离父母更近，并用我所学的知识为国家的发展做贡献。”